Skip to content
Product cover

Are You Underutilizing Your Board?

January 1, 2007 | Chris Thomas, David Kidd, Claudio FeṟåÁndez-ArÌ_oz | Strategy
Many corporations are failing to obtain the full value from their boards. This lost opportunity occurs not only in dysfunctional organizations but also in companies that perform well and are market leaders. Specifically, from a recent comprehensive study of board reviews, the authors found that many boards are suffering from the following fundamental problems: inadequate competencies, lack of diversity, underutilization of skills, dereliction of duties, and poor selection and assessment processes.

To avoid those problems, organizations need to adopt a set of five basic practices: (1) Choose the right directors (four competencies are required: results orientation, strategic orientation, collaboration and independence). (2) Appoint the right chairman (in addition to the four competencies, candidates must be skilled in empowering others to encourage vigorous debate, coaching and mentoring directors, and holding key executives and other board members accountable). (3) Make succession planning the first priority (this starts with graduate recruitment practices at the organization and is complemented by management development programs). (4) Focus on a few key agenda items (at a minimum, boards should regularly address the following issues: conformance with governance codes and regulations, review of the CEO's performance and succession planning, discussion of ways in which the company will create and develop long-term value for shareholders, and monitoring of the company's operating and financial performance). (5) Review the board's collective and individual contributions (reviews should go beyond just compliance). Although these practices might seem obvious, the simple fact is that far too many organizations either neglect them or make costly mistakes in implementing them.
Purchase Options

Educator and Student Discounts Available. Learn more »

  BENCHMARKS  
Loading Time: Base Classes  0.0010
My Controller Construct  0.0003
Build Nav  0.0006
Controller Execution Time ( Products / Route )  0.1380
Total Execution Time  0.1390
  GET DATA  
No GET data exists
  MEMORY USAGE  
1.5722 MB
  POST DATA  
No POST data exists
  URI STRING  
store/are-you-underutilizing-your-board
  CLASS/METHOD  
products/route
  DATABASE:  MITSLOAN_DEV   QUERIES: 68  (Hide)
0.0011  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  'ee36d7c246b44a26badc471caab65a83'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0004  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  'ee36d7c246b44a26badc471caab65a83'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0011  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  'ee36d7c246b44a26badc471caab65a83'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0003  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  'ee36d7c246b44a26badc471caab65a83'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0005  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  'ee36d7c246b44a26badc471caab65a83'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0004  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  'ee36d7c246b44a26badc471caab65a83'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0016  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  'ee36d7c246b44a26badc471caab65a83'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0004  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  'ee36d7c246b44a26badc471caab65a83'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0008  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  'ee36d7c246b44a26badc471caab65a83'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0005  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  'ee36d7c246b44a26badc471caab65a83'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0003  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  'ee36d7c246b44a26badc471caab65a83'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0004  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  'ee36d7c246b44a26badc471caab65a83'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0003  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  'ee36d7c246b44a26badc471caab65a83'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0002  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  'ee36d7c246b44a26badc471caab65a83'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0003  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  'ee36d7c246b44a26badc471caab65a83'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0002  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  'ee36d7c246b44a26badc471caab65a83'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0002  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  'ee36d7c246b44a26badc471caab65a83'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0004  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  'ee36d7c246b44a26badc471caab65a83'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0003  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  'ee36d7c246b44a26badc471caab65a83'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0005  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  'ee36d7c246b44a26badc471caab65a83'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0002  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  'ee36d7c246b44a26badc471caab65a83'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0003  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  'ee36d7c246b44a26badc471caab65a83'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0004  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  'ee36d7c246b44a26badc471caab65a83'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0002  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  'ee36d7c246b44a26badc471caab65a83'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0002  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  'ee36d7c246b44a26badc471caab65a83'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0005  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  'ee36d7c246b44a26badc471caab65a83'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0003  

SELECT SQL_CALC_FOUND_ROWS cat_id
FROM (`product_categories`)
WHERE `status_id` =  'A'
AND `url_friendly` =  'are-you-underutilizing-your-board'
AND `parent_id` =  1 
0.0090  

SELECT c.parent_id, c.format_id
                    FROM products AS p, products AS c
                    WHERE p.prod_id = c.parent_id AND
                        c.avail_id IN ('A','B','D') AND
                        c.type_id = 'V' AND
                        (
                            c.sku = 'are-you-underutilizing-your-board' OR
                            if(c.format_id = 'Certificate', '', p.url_friendly) = 'are-you-underutilizing-your-board'
                        )
                    LIMIT 1 
0.0005  

SELECT `parent_id`
FROM (`products`)
WHERE `prod_id` =  1241 
0.0006  

SELECT *
FROM (`products`)
WHERE `products`.`prod_id` =  '1241' 
0.0010  

SELECT *
FROM (`authors`)
JOIN `products__authors` ON `authors`.`author_id` = `products__authors`.`author_id`
WHERE `products__authors`.`prod_id` =  '1241'
ORDER BY `sort` ASC 
0.0037  

SELECT `cat_id`
FROM (`product_categories__products`)
WHERE `prod_id` =  '1241' 
0.0008  

SELECT *
FROM (`product_flags__products`)
WHERE `prod_id` =  '1241' 
0.0002  

SELECT `sku`
FROM (`products__xsell`)
WHERE `prod_id` =  '1241'
ORDER BY IF(position = 0, 1, 0) ASC , `position` 
0.0862  

SELECT `products`.`parent_id`
FROM (`transaction_lines`)
JOIN `products` ON `products`.`sku` = `transaction_lines`.`sku`
JOIN `product_categories__products` ON `products`.`parent_id` = `product_categories__products`.`prod_id`
WHERE `products`.`avail_id` =  'A'
AND TO_DAYS(transaction_lines.updated_at) < (TO_DAYS(NOW()) - 90)
AND `product_categories__products`.`cat_id` IN ('249') 
GROUP BY `products`.`parent_id`
ORDER BY COUNT(*) DESC
LIMIT 6 
0.0005  

SELECT `parent_id`
FROM (`products`)
WHERE `prod_id` =  '361' 
0.0003  

SELECT *
FROM (`products`)
WHERE `products`.`prod_id` =  '361' 
0.0005  

SELECT *
FROM (`authors`)
JOIN `products__authors` ON `authors`.`author_id` = `products__authors`.`author_id`
WHERE `products__authors`.`prod_id` =  '361'
ORDER BY `sort` ASC 
0.0005  

SELECT `parent_id`
FROM (`products`)
WHERE `prod_id` =  '3961' 
0.0005  

SELECT *
FROM (`products`)
WHERE `products`.`prod_id` =  '3961' 
0.0007  

SELECT *
FROM (`authors`)
JOIN `products__authors` ON `authors`.`author_id` = `products__authors`.`author_id`
WHERE `products__authors`.`prod_id` =  '3961'
ORDER BY `sort` ASC 
0.0001  

SELECT `parent_id`
FROM (`products`)
WHERE `prod_id` =  '35' 
0.0002  

SELECT *
FROM (`products`)
WHERE `products`.`prod_id` =  '35' 
0.0002  

SELECT *
FROM (`authors`)
JOIN `products__authors` ON `authors`.`author_id` = `products__authors`.`author_id`
WHERE `products__authors`.`prod_id` =  '35'
ORDER BY `sort` ASC 
0.0002  

SELECT `parent_id`
FROM (`products`)
WHERE `prod_id` =  '179' 
0.0002  

SELECT *
FROM (`products`)
WHERE `products`.`prod_id` =  '179' 
0.0002  

SELECT *
FROM (`authors`)
JOIN `products__authors` ON `authors`.`author_id` = `products__authors`.`author_id`
WHERE `products__authors`.`prod_id` =  '179'
ORDER BY `sort` ASC 
0.0001  

SELECT `parent_id`
FROM (`products`)
WHERE `prod_id` =  '489' 
0.0002  

SELECT *
FROM (`products`)
WHERE `products`.`prod_id` =  '489' 
0.0002  

SELECT *
FROM (`authors`)
JOIN `products__authors` ON `authors`.`author_id` = `products__authors`.`author_id`
WHERE `products__authors`.`prod_id` =  '489'
ORDER BY `sort` ASC 
0.0001  

SELECT `parent_id`
FROM (`products`)
WHERE `prod_id` =  '2465' 
0.0001  

SELECT *
FROM (`products`)
WHERE `products`.`prod_id` =  '2465' 
0.0002  

SELECT *
FROM (`authors`)
JOIN `products__authors` ON `authors`.`author_id` = `products__authors`.`author_id`
WHERE `products__authors`.`prod_id` =  '2465'
ORDER BY `sort` ASC 
0.0003  

SELECT SQL_CALC_FOUND_ROWS media_id, position
FROM (`media`)
WHERE `foreign_key_table` =  'products'
AND `foreign_key_column` =  'prod_id'
AND `foreign_key_value` =  '1241'
AND `kind` =  'image_600x600'
ORDER BY IF(position = 0, 1, 0) ASC , `position` 
0.0001  

SELECT *
FROM (`media`)
WHERE `media`.`media_id` =  '606' 
0.0001  

SELECT *
FROM (`mime_types`)
WHERE `mime_types`.`extension` =  'jpg' 
0.0001  

SELECT *
FROM (`media_metadata`)
WHERE `media_id` =  '606' 
0.0002  

SELECT SQL_CALC_FOUND_ROWS media_id, position
FROM (`media`)
WHERE `foreign_key_table` =  'products'
AND `foreign_key_column` =  'prod_id'
AND `foreign_key_value` =  '1241'
AND `kind` =  'gallery_image'
ORDER BY IF(position = 0, 1, 0) ASC , `position` 
0.0003  

SELECT *
FROM (`products`)
WHERE `avail_id` IN ('A', 'B', 'C', 'H') 
AND `parent_id` =  '1241'
AND `type_id` =  'V'
ORDER BY IF(position = 0, 1, 0) ASC , `position`, `title` 
0.0001  

SELECT `c`.`format_id`, `c`.`price`, `c`.`sale_price`
FROM (`products` AS c)
WHERE `c`.`prod_id` =  '1242'
LIMIT 1 
0.0002  

SELECT SQL_CALC_FOUND_ROWS media_id, position
FROM (`media`)
WHERE `foreign_key_table` =  'products'
AND `foreign_key_column` =  'prod_id'
AND `foreign_key_value` =  '1242'
AND `kind` =  'thumbnail'
ORDER BY IF(position = 0, 1, 0) ASC , `position` 
0.0003  

SELECT `product_categories__products`.`cat_id`
FROM (`product_categories__products`)
JOIN `product_categories` ON `product_categories__products`.`cat_id` = `product_categories`.`cat_id`
WHERE `product_categories__products`.`prod_id` =  '1241'
AND `product_categories`.`parent_id` =  1
AND `product_categories__products`.`cat_id` NOT IN (1, 261)  
0.0004  

SELECT `cat_id` AS id, `parent_id` AS parent, `status_id`, `name`, `description`, `url_friendly`, `page_title`, `meta_keywords`, `meta_description`, `position`, `updated_at`
FROM (`product_categories`)
WHERE `cat_id` != 1
ORDER BY `parent_id`, IF(position = 0, 1, 0) ASC , `position`, `name` 
0.0003  

SELECT *
FROM (`product_categories`)
WHERE `status_id` =  'A'
AND `parent_id` =  1
AND `cat_id` NOT IN (1, 261) 
ORDER BY `name` 
0.0002  

SELECT *
FROM (`site_settings`)
WHERE `option_key` =  'announcement' 
  HTTP HEADERS  (Show)
  SESSION DATA  (Show)
  CONFIG VARIABLES  (Show)